“US court tosses protester’s arrest at Liberty Bell”: The Associated Press has this report on a ruling that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit issued today.

“Nowhere To Hide: Ignoring Maher Arar won’t make his torture claims go away.” Dahlia Lithwick has this jurisprudence essay online at Slate.

“Should Retired Justices Be Called Back to Supreme Court?” At “The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times,” David Ingram has a post that begins, “Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) is thinking about proposing legislation that would allow a retired U.S. Supreme Court justice to sit in a case when a current justice has recused — in what would be a major shift in how the Court operates.”

The Constitution and Souter: He seems to believe that judges have the last word — rather than our founding document; Let’s hope Kagan feels otherwise.” David B. Rivkin Jr. and Lee A. Casey have this op-ed today in USA Today.

“Prosecution Rests in Robert Wone Case”: Julio Menache has this post at “The BLT: The Blog of Legal Times.”

“Deans defend Kagan on diversity”: Josh Gerstein has this post at his “Under the Radar” blog at Politico.com.

“We must decide whether the system that Illinois is using to fill a famous vacancy in one of its senate slots has strayed so far from the mark that a preliminary injunction should have been entered by the district court.” A lawsuit brought by two registered voters in Illinois alleging a violation of their rights guaranteed by the 17th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution gives rise to a ruling that a three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit issued today.

“Lawyer: Gays denied right by Calif marriage ban.” The Associated Press has a report that begins, “The landmark federal trial over the constitutionality of California’s gay marriage ban resumed Wednesday, with a lawyer arguing that supporters of the ban were trying to deprive same-sex couples of a relationship the U.S. Supreme Court has recognized as a fundamental right.”

“Experts argue firing squad is a humane execution”: The Associated Press has this report.

“Push for court diversity hits snag; Partisan rancor ties up action on Obama nominees”: Joan Biskupic has this front page article today in USA Today.

En banc Tenth Circuit divides 6-5 over what is the proper standard for identifying a dependent Indian community under federal law: You can access yesterday’s en banc ruling of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Tenth Circuit at this link.

Two separate dissenting opinions, including one in which all five dissenting judges have joined, assert that the question presented is deserving of U.S. Supreme Court review.

Majority on divided three-judge Third Circuit panel holds that Verizon cannot evade its settlement of a class action despite new federal legislation, enacted before final approval of the settlement, eliminating plaintiffs’ cause of action: You can access yesterday’s ruling of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit at this link.

This case would seem to be a strong candidate for either rehearing en banc or U.S. Supreme Court review if Verizon decides to continue to pursue its challenge to the settlement.

“Closing arguments set in Calif. gay marriage trial”: The Associated Press has this report.

“Law-school academics come out in support of Kagan for high court”: Bill Mears of CNN.com has this report.

Warren Richey of The Christian Science Monitor reports that “Top law school deans endorse Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan; Deans of 68 major law schools endorsed Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan; Her experience heading the Harvard Law School prepared her to decide some of the country’s toughest issues, they say.”

And today’s edition of The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reports that “MU’s law dean praises Kagan; Marquette’s Kearney says court nominee is a fine lawyer.”

“Closing arguments begin in Calif. trial on same-sex marriage”: Robert Barnes of The Washington Post has this news update.

And in today’s edition of The San Francisco Chronicle, Bob Egelko reports that “Prop. 8 backers target 18,000 same-sex marriages.”

“Conspiracy trial in Wone killing shifts focus”: This article appears today in The Washington Post.

“Full 11th Circuit Wrestles With Home Depot Sex Harassment Suit; Judges debate how court’s earlier decisions in case fit with landmark ruling favoring plaintiffs”: Andy Peters of the Fulton County Daily Report has this article.